Rotary engine.



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Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

J. FUNKHOUSER. ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1909.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1908. 915,091 Patented'Manlfi, 1909.

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J. FUNKHOUSEB. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILE 915,091. D m 29 Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

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JOHN FUNKHOUSER, OF HYMERA, INDIANA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 16, 1909.

Application filed September 29, 1908. Serial No. 455,346.

To all w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FUNKHOUsER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hymera, in the county of Sullivan and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines, and has for an object to provide anengine which may be run with a minimum expenditure of propelling fluid and which will exert an equal amount of power at all points.

Another object is to provide an engine of this type which will have no dead center.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and describedmay be made within the scope of the claims without de arting from the spirit of the invention.

11 the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side view of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the cam, Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the valves, Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a steam engine 12 comprising a stationary cylinder or casing A having two semicylindrical sections 13 and 14 respectively, bolted together, as shown at 14. The section 14 is provided with a supporting base 15.

A vertical exhaust opening B is formed through the apex of the section 13 and a similar passage 0 is formed centrally through the lower portion of section 14 and the base 15. The casing at each side at its center, is provided with journal boxes 17 and 16 respectively which receive a horizontally disposed shaft 18. The boxes 16 and 17 are enlarged at their inner ends and receive revolubly peripherally grooved collars 17 carried by the shaft 18 in the grooves of which there are disposed packing rings 18 engaging closely against the faces of the enlarged portions of the journal boxes.

The shaft 18 supports a vertically disposed rotary piston head 19 the rim 20 of which is V casing, as shown.

convex, being substantially semicircular in cross section and outwardly of which there are peripherally grooved shoulders 20 at each side of the rim, as shown. The piston, at each side, is provided with packing rings 21 engaged in the shoulders and preferably of the form shown, but it will of course be understood that rings of any suitable structure may be provided.

Follower heads 22 are bolted as shown at 22 to the piston 19, three being shown in the present instance, but it will of course be understood that any suitable number may be employed. The follower heads are each provided with a radial packing member 23 engaged in a recess extending around the head 22, as shown. The follower heads have opposite faces O inclined outwardly toward each other as shown. At each side the cylinder is provided with sliding cut-offs 24 movable through the wall of the casing, each having an outwardly extending rod 25 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Above each cut-off and formed in the side of the casing, there is shown a steam inlet passage 26, and below each cut-ofi, there is shown a similar passage 26. The passage 26 is in communication with a valve casing 29 secured to the casing A and carries slidably a tubular reciprocating valve 27 having an inlet port 28 and an exhaust port 29. At its outer end, the casing 29 is provided with a stufhng box 31 in which there is slidably disposed a rod 32 connected to the valve 27 at its outer end. This casing receives a discharge pipe 33 at one side oppositely of which it receives an inlet pipe 37.

A steam cut-off valve 34 is located beneath the valve 27, and is disposed within a casing 35 provided with a steam inlet 36 adapted to receive from a suitable governor, not shown. The valve casing 35 is connected to the valve casing previously described by means of a pipe connection. 37, and this casing is also connected to a casing 38 similar to the one 29 by means of a pipe section 39. The casing 38 is located beneath the valve 34 and is secured with its inner open end located in line with the passage 26,

The casing 38 is provided with a reciproeating valve 40 similar to the valve 27, provided with a stem 41 working in a stuffing box 42 and which extends outwardly of the The valve 40 is provided withinlet and exhaust ports 43 and 44 respectively. It will be noted that in opera tion, the inlet openings of each of the cut-off valves will be closed before the opposite exhaust port is opened.

Adjacent the valve 34 there is a rod 45 which, together with the rods 32 and 41 respectively are pivotally connected to a link 46 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. It will thus be seen that as steam enters the port 28 and is discharged into the casing through the passage 26 the pipe 33 is closed-,- and the exhaust 44 open to relieve back pressure, leakage, etc. It will of course be understood that when it is desired to reverse the engine, the valve 34 is operated so that steam may enter the port 43i1istead of the one 28. 7

Each cut-off 24 is provided with a concave inner face 47 which receives packing strips 48, relatively narrow, and engaged with the rim 20 of the head 1 9'. To effect a tight joint between the strips and the head, I provide the cut-off with passages 49 to admitpressure against the strips 48. It may be stated that the cut-off is guided in its movement by seating its side edges in grooves or channels 50-formed in an offset portion 51 of the casing which receives the cut-off in its outward movement.

An eccentric is keyed or otherwise securedto' the shaft 18' and comprises a fiat disk 5]. having radially offset cam portions 52 which are substantially V-sha'ped. A peripheral groove 53 is formed in the disk. The disk is provided with an extension D provided with a groove 55 and having cam portions 56 disposed adjacent the offset portions of the disk 51.

The groove 53 of the disk receives cut-off arms 58 which carry at theirouter ends rollers 59 for movement therein. hen the leversare engaged with the arcuate portions of the eccentric, it is obvious that the cut-off is in its closed position and lies with its inner face against the rim of the head 19, and when the levers are engaged with the cam portions, it will be apparent that the cut-offs are moved outwardly to provide a clear passage for said follower heads. The groove 55 receives throttle valve rods 59 adapted to close the valves when the rods are engaged in the offset portions 56, and which open the valves when engaged in the portions 57.

1t maybe found desirable to form the cam portions 52 of the disk in conformity with the slope of the faces of the follower heads 22 in order that the cutoffs may engage closely therewith during operation. It will be understood that any suitable form of connection may be utilized between the peripheral grooves upon the eccentric member and the valve and cut-off.

It will be seen that this engine never reaches a dead center, and the force of steam or other fluid power may be applied constantly to the rotation of the piston. It will be seen that an unusually free exhaust is provided, and a supplemental exhaust is provided to assure the complete removal of back pressure. I I

It may be found desirable to arrange the cam portions 56 of the portion D of the eccentric so as to operate the cut-off valve at an earlier point than that shown in the illustration, so as to utilize the expansive properties of the steam if desired.

What is claimed is 1. An engine of the class described, com-- prising a cylindrical casing having radial recesses therein, a rotor mounted concentrically within the casing, carrying a plurality of projecting heads disposed closely against the inner face of the casing, said heads having rounded outer ends, and being provided with continuous radial grooves, a packing member disposed within the groove and engaged resiliently against the inner face of the easing, throughout the length of the groove, slidable abutments carried in said recesses of the casing, and operative connections between the rotor and said abutments, and inlet and exhaust valves carried by the casing and operable by the rotor.

2. An engine of the class described comprising an annular casing, said casing having a transversely arcuate peripheral inner face, and being provided with radial recesses, a ro tor having a similarly transversely convex periphery disposed in spaced relation with the inner face of the casing, projecting piston members carried by the rotor and engaged closely with the face of the casing to close the space between the rotor and the casing, said piston members each having a peripheral continuous groove therearound, a resilient packing member disposed in each groove, a slidable abutment disposed in said radial recesses, said abutments having a concave inner end portion adapted to engage snugly over the convex peripheral face of the rotor, and to lie at other times in registration with the peripheral inner face of the casing, said abutment having a recess across its inner end, a packing member disposed in said recess, said abutment having passages formed through one face and communicating with the recess, to allow access of steam pressure to the packing member, operative connections between the rotor and the abutment, said casing having inlet and exhaust ports, valves carried thereby and operative connecti'ons between the valves and the rotor.

3. In a steam engine, the combination with a casing and a piston member movable therein, a passage being formed through the casing, a valve carried by the casing and comprising a tubular casing, said last named 1 easing having spaced passages formed thereoperative connections between the slidable through, a tubular valve member slidable valve and the piston. 10 Within the casing, said valve member being In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, closed at one end and having ports therein in presence of two Witnesses.

adapted to register alternately with the pas- JOHN FUN KHOUSER; sages in the last named casing upon sliding Witnesses: movement of the valve to allow ingress and CARY J. MGANALLY,

egress of steam therethrough alternately, and J AMES H. LUZADEB. 

